Module 10 - Attribution Attitudes Social Cognition Flashcards
Social Cognition (3)
psychological processes (automatic & unconscious) which allows us to
perceive, categorise & respond to
the social dimensions of the world
Attribution is our innate tendency to ___
attach meaning to behaviour
Attribution: When we see the actions of others ___
We make rapid, intuitive judgements about what we think caused the behaviour
Attribution is not about___
Not about the ACTUAL causes of specific behaviours
Attribution is about
What SEEMS TO US in a snap judgement to CAUSE the behaviour
Attribution judgements are dichotomous, meaning ___
Two completely opposing ideas
3 categories of attribution
^ Internal (Dispositional) vs External (Situational)
^ Stable vs Unstable
^ Controllable vs Uncontrollable
Internal (dispositional) vs external (situational) attribution:
Behaviour/ Event due to:
Internal (dispositional/ personal factors)
vs
External (situational factors)
Stable vs Unstable attribution
Behaviour/ Event due to:
Stable (unchanging factors)
Vs
Unstable (temporary factors)
Controllable vs Uncontrollable
attribution
Behaviour/ Event due to:
Controllable (something we can alter if we wish)
Vs
Uncontrollable ( southing outside our influence)
What is the most influential attribution category?
Dispositional (Internal) vs Situational (External)
Covariation Model describes which attribution category?
Dispositional vs Situational
3 elements of covariational model
^ Consensus
^ Consistency
^ Distinctiveness
Consensus
(3 elements of covariational model)
How do other people behave?
Consistency
(3 elements of covariational model)
Does X usually behave like this?
Distinctiveness
(3 elements of covariational model)
Is X’s behaviour in this situation different from X’s behaviour in other situations?
According to the covariational model: low consistency -> ___ attribution
Discounting (search for a different cause)
Cannot make an attribution
High consensus:
(3 elements of covariational model)
Most people behave like this
-> External Attribution
Low consensus:
(3 elements of covariational model)
Not many people behave like this
-> Internal Attribution
High consistency:
(3 elements of covariational model)
X nearly always behaves like this
-> Stable External or Stable Internal attribution
Low consistency:
(3 elements of covariational model)
X rarely behaves like this
-> unstable external or internal circumstance (Discounting)
High Distinctiveness
(3 elements of covariational model)
X does not behave like this in other situations
-> External Attribution
Low Distinctiveness
(3 elements of covariational model)
X’s behaves like this in other situations
-> Internal Attribution
According to the covariational model:
Low Consensus (other people behave like this)
High Consistency (X Always behaves like this)
Low Distinctiveness (X does not behave like this in most other situations)
-> ____ attribution
Internal Attribution
According to the covariational model:
High Consensus (other people behave like this)
High Consistency (X Always behaves like this)
High Distinctiveness (X does not behave like this in most other situations)
-> ____ attribution
External Attribution
Stable, Internal/ Dispositional Attributions:
^ ability
^ personality
^ intelligence
Unstable Internal/ Dispositional Attributions
^ Motivation
^ Moods
Stable External / Situational Attributions
^ Task difficulty
Unstable External / Situational Attributions
^ weather
^ luck
3 Attribution biases
^ Fundamental Attribution Error
^ Actor-Observer Bias
^ Self-Serving Bias
Fundamental Attribution Error
(3 Attribution Biases)
We use internal attributions when judging others
Eg. We think how people behave is because of internal character
Actor-Observer Bias
On the same behaviour, we use
^ external attributions for us
^ internal attributions for others
Self-Serving bias
We change the attributions for own behaviour to enhance self image
Eg. Internal for good things, external for bad things
Attitude:
an evaluative disposition (favourable or unfavourable reaction) towards a thing
Attitude defined by 3 elements
Attitude Object
Attitude Valence
Attitude Intensity
Attitude Object
(3 elements of Attitude)
The thing the attitude is about
Attitude Valence
(3 elements of Attitude)
An evaluation/ sense of positivity or negativity
Attitude Intensity
(3 elements of Attitude)
How strongly felt the Valence judgement is
Name the 3 elements of attitude
I really (___) hate (___) onions(___)
I really (high intensity) hate (negative valence) onions(object)
Attitudes have 3 components (ABC):
Affect (feelings)
Behaviour (actions)
Cognition (thinking)
How does attitudes influence Affect?
Positive or negative feelings
How does attitudes influence Behaviour?
Tendency to approach or avoid
How does attitudes influence Cognition?
Relevant thoughts, beliefs and judgements
Attitudes are generally stable (T/F)
T
3 ways to form / acquire new attitudes:
Direct Instruction
Self-Perception Theory
Balance theory
Direct Instruction:
(3 ways to form new attitudes)
Attitudes are learnt as part of specific facts or events
Self-Perception Theory:
(3 ways to form new attitudes)
We make self-attributions from past behaviour
Balance Theory:
(3 ways to form new attitudes)
We are biased towards an attitude valence (positive or negative feeling) that is consistent with existing attitudes and beliefs
Eg. We hate the things our enemies like
We will like things that our friends like
Persuading someone to change how they behave, think or feel is easier when___
Target a specific impacts of Attitude (Affect, behaviour, cognition) rather than the whole associated attitude
Ways to persuade someone (3)
^ Ingratiation
^ The Foot-in-the-Door Effect
^ Presenting selective information
Ingratiation
(3 ways to persuade someone)
^ Target-> Affect (positive / negative feeling)
^ Performing a favour to make them feel positive about you and your offer
The Foot-in-the-Door Effect
(3 ways to persuade someone)
^ Target -> Behaviour (approach / avoid)
^ get them to make a small initial act of commitment -> then haggle them for the rest
Presenting selective information
(3 ways to persuade someone)
^ Target Cognition (thoughts)
^ presenting selective information -> useful way of giving someone new, but potentially misleading beliefs
One effective method to change someone’s attitude
Evoke cognitive dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance
^ feeling of discomfort
^ due to internal contradiction between beliefs (attitude) and actions (Behaviour)
How does cognitive dissonance change attitude?
to escape cognitive dissonance -> people change their attitude or behaviour, whichever is easier at the time
Leon Festinger discovered participants who were paid to lie will react differently depending on how much they were paid.
If someone was paid little ->___
If someone was paid a lot -> ___
Someone was paid little -> cognitive dissonance -> changed their attitude to fit the lie
Some paid a lot -> no cognitive dissonance -> same attitude
Confirmation bias (2):
^ our tendency to search for, interpret and recall information that confirm our existing beliefs
^ tendency to minimise or overlook contradictory information
How difficult it is to change attitudes is due to___
Confirmation bias
Ingroup
Any group a person belongs or identifies with
Outgroup
All other identifiable groups, especially groups
3 processes in Social Identity Theory:
^ Social Categorisation
^ Social Identification
^ Social Comparison
Social Categorisation:
(3 processes in Social Identity Theory)
What groups exist?
Social Identification:
(3 processes in Social Identity Theory)
Which group do I belong to?
Social Comparison:
(3 processes in Social Identity Theory)
How is my group better than other groups?
Ingroup Favouritism:
(Group Biases & Stereotypes)
^ social identity + Self-serving bias
-> ingroup favouritism
Outgroup Homogeneity (3):
(Group Biases & Stereotypes)
^ Social identity + Actor-observer Bias
^ assume outgroups are all the same
^ assume outgroups have less variations than ingroups
Outgroup Derogation:
(Group Biases & Stereotypes)
^ Social identity + Actor-observer Bias
^ Assume negative things about Outgroup members
^ assume good things about ingroup members
Stereotypes:
^ generalised beliefs about social groups -> shape expectations & assumptions about group members
Schema:
Knowledge structures / mental concepts that develop from our experiences
We process information ___
When it is consistent with our schema
More quickly
We focus attention ___
When it is consistent with our schema
More easily
We make tacit assumptions to ___
Make schema inconsistent details fit together
Prejudice & Discrimination
Judging or reducing someone to stereotyped assumptions (harmful even when positive)
Stereotype -> P___ -> D____
Stereotype (attitude) -> prejudice (beliefs) -> discrimination (act)
Self Schema:
Beliefs about ourselves
Self consistency (2):
^ We interpret new information to fit in with existing self beliefs
^ We prefer people who verify rather than challenge our views
AH treatment forces people to get out of their comfort zone and is at odds with self-consistency.
What can AH practitioners do (4)?
^ help clients feel good about self
^ set achievable goals
^ encourage with realistic positive feedback
^ help develop new self-schema, ‘I am brave’
Self Esteem:
^ a person’s evaluation of himself, how much he likes and respects himself
^ self beliefs
Poor self-esteem -> (2)
^ Poorer outcomes post rehabilitation
^ poor life satisfaction
Self-Presentation
^ things you do to present you ‘self’
^ process of how people attempt to control the impressions others form of them
^ eg. Brush teeth, choosing clothes
Social Identity
Sense of self formed from being in a group
How can AH practitioners use sense of self:
^ clients are vulnerable - take cues from the client
^ confirm their self-schema & social identity
-> to enhance therapeutic alliance
First impressions in AH settings for clients , environment: (6)
^ location of consult
^ car parking access
^ waiting time
^ patient privacy
^ access to toilets
^ communication with front desk
First impressions for clients, clinician (6):
^ punctuality
^ dress
^ language
^ listening
^ respect
^ behaviour
Negative Affect (emotional response based on social group) =
Prejudice
Negative behavioural response (taking action against someone based on social group) =
discrimination
Negative cognitive response (beliefs/ attitudes about social groups) =
stereotypes
Dimensions of Attitudes (5):
^ Attitude Strength
^ Explicit vs Implicit
^ Cognitive Complexity
^ Attitudinal Ambivalence
^ Coherence
Attitude Strength
(Dimensions of Attitudes)
Durability and impact of an attitude on behaviour
Implicit Attitude:
(Dimensions of Attitudes -> implicit vs explicit)
Regulate thought and behaviour unconsciously and automatically
Explicit Attitude
(Dimensions of Attitudes -> implicit vs explicit)
^ short-term
^ conscious
^ adapt to social environment
Attitudinal Ambivalence
Extent to which an attitude object
Is associated with conflicting responses (pros and cons)
Cognitive complexity
Intricacy of thoughts about different attitude objects
Attitudinal Coherence
Extent to which attitude is internally consistent
Areas that help with persuasion with clients: (5)
^ Source - find credible evidence
^ Message - does the message match the client’s abilities?
^ Channel - how you deliver message (face to face, telephone)
^ Context - situation
^ Receiver - acknowledge client characteristics
